Confident? Stressed? Runners step up mental game before Fifth Third River Bank Run

Elsa Lockman, who missed last year's River Bank Run following reconstructive knee surgery, said self confidence in your training is vital in the final hours before the race. Courtesy photo

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Elsa Lockman won’t win the Fifth Third River Bank Run 25K, or even come close, which makes her like most of the 18,000 entrants expected for Saturday’s event.

For her, as one of the MLive and Grand Rapids Press Regular Jo/Joe runners we’ve followed the past three months, the excitement she conveys is probably heard a lot around the area today.

“I think about it as a fun event, not a torture that I need to get over with, but a celebration,” said Lockman, a 34-year-old psychotherapist at the Christian Counseling Center in Grand Rapids. “I try not to think about the actual race too much and focus on what I have to get done this week.”

As of midnight Monday, registration for the race is about on par with last year. There were 6,389 signed up for the 25k, 4,364 for the 10K and 5,265 for the 5K.

Late – and final – registration will be held throughout the day Friday at the River Bank Run Expo at DeVos Place.

Lockman is upbeat for her third River Bank Run because she missed last year following reconstructive knee surgery for a torn ACL. Her training with her husband, Kurt, has helped her prepare for the race, as well as the Bayshore Marathon in two weeks.

“I don’t want to overdo it and pull something,” she said. “But I do want to push myself still and beat the two-hour mark. I did it two years ago and want to again. So 1:59:59 would be splendid.”

Todd White

If runners can’t relate to Lockman, they probably can to Todd White, who has served as our Regular Joe. The 49-year-old from outside Kent City, who does safety work for insurance-related company Great Lakes Loss Control, has been busy this spring. Way busy. So, he has been busy preparing mentally.

“For me, the mental side is a little more difficult this week leading up to the race,” he said. “If I do not have the base mileage to complete the race, I am not going to gain it this week. So given that, it is convincing myself that I have prepared properly that becomes the challenge.”